growing up
by archerlily 67
Summary: side story to The cobra and the sand snakes Growing up there are always those important milestones that are cherished by parents and siblings alike. This is a selection of one-shots about Rhaegar and Myriah growing up.


**Hey guys , well this is a one shot outlining Myriah and Rhaegar's upbringing also their relationships with the elder sand snakes **

**if you hadn't already guessed, this is a side story with THE COBRA AND THE SAND SNAKES**

**as always R&R's are much appreciated **

**so enjoy xxx**

First breath 

The pain that Ellaria felt in this moment surpassed any other she had ever felt, it was excruciating and felt as if it would never end. Her hair clung to her forehead with sweat and her breaths were short and rapid, The maester had told her that it was all natural, that all mothers felt pain and exhaustion like this when birthing a child.

honestly it made her wonder how women could birth more than one child, although she had heard rumours about women bearing 10 or 11 children simply because of the joy that they felt afterwards when they held there baby in their arms.

But right now in this moment she could not understand them at all.

The midwives did their best to keep her calm and comfortable as she whimpered in pain, one held a cool cloth to her head and encouraged her while two others held her legs apart and repentantly told her how well she was doing. The last midwife rushed in and out of the room gathering anything that the maester requested such as blankets, a bowl of warm water and rags to clean the babe when he or she made there first appearance in to this cruel and harsh world.

"Oberyn, please i need Oberyn now!" She yelled as she felt another contraction rock her body and send another powerful wave of pain through her. The midwife holding a cloth to her head nodded and ran out into the hallway to get him as Ellaria screamed once more.

"Ellaria, my love." He all but shouted as he rushed over to he, kneeling beside her he took her hand and squeezed it comfortingly, she turned to him and looked into his brown eyes with a pain filled look she cried out as she heard the maester call to her.

"My lady, i can see the head, you need to push now."

Turning to her paramour she let a few stray tears escape her eyes as he looked back to her, she could tell that it hurt her deeply to see her in this much pain.

"Oberyn, i dont' think i can do this." she whimpered while her stroked her hair.

"Yes you can my love, just squeeze my hand as hard as you can." He reassured her with a smile that showed off his perfect white teeth.

Mustering all the courage she had she bared down and pushed with as much force as she could muster with a cry she pushed once again while squeezing her lovers hand just about as hard as she could.

She heard the cries of a baby as spots began to cloud her vision, she could see Oberyn crying in happiness from her side and the Maester cutting the umbilical cord and handing it over to the nearest midwife who had been holding her leg. Delicately she cleaned the babe of any after birth while it's shrill cries filled the room.

"Congratulations my lady and my prince you have a son." He proclaimed as he cleaned his hands with a cloth.

A son, she had a son, he let the tears of joy wash over her as he was passed to Oberyn who turned to her and met her gazed with one that was filled with love and gratitude.

He walked over to her and knelt by her bedside while he rocked the boy swaddled in cloth.

"Thank you my love, he is beyond perfection."

She was about to answer him when she felt yet another wave of agonizing pain wash over her. She grasped the sheets as her knuckled turned white and let out a snaky breath.

As the pain intensified she cried out again leaving Oberyn standing there with their son in his arms with a panicked look on his face.

"Wh.. what is it, what's wrong?" he demanded as he maester pressed down on her still bulging stomach, he chuckled and asked the midwives to fetch more water and blankets.

"It seems my prince that you have yet another babe to come." He answered the shocked prince .

"Twins!" she cried as she pushed with just as much force as the last.

"It would seem so my lady, one more push now." He advised her , she did as she was told and screamed until she heard yet again another cry of a child.

"A girl." He told them as he handed her to the midwives, She handed their daughter to Oberyn who came over to her, balancing both the baby's in his arms he handed the girl to her.

"You did a wonderful job my love." He whispered as he planted a kiss on her sweaty forehead and looked down at the boy in his arms.

Ellaria looked at her daughter for the first time and noticed that she had the same obsidian hair and tanned skin that her parents shared, while the hair that was on her head was straight and silky to the touch, the boy's was curly like hers.

"What should we name them lover." She asked her paramour as she took his hand in hers.

"How about Rhagar for the boy and Myriah for the girl." He suggested to her as he kissed his son's head.

"Perfect, just like them." She agreed running a delicate finger over her daughter cheek.

"I think our little sand snakes would love to meet their brother and sister." He chuckled watching as Rhaegar reached up toward him.

She chuckled and agreed knowing that she finally understood why mothers put up with all of that pain for a child

because she had to say, that it was worth it in every way.

* * *

first words (10 months old - Ellaria, Myriah and Sarella)

Myriah was first to speak, looking back on that moment now it was to be expected, she was always the most vocal out of the twins. Ellaria could remember it as clear as day, It was a sunny morning in Dorne and she was sitting on the beautifully decorated carpet braiding Sarella's hair while Myriah played with her many wooden toys.

sighing in contentment she watched her daughter crawl around the room making adorable baby noises, she crawled towards Saerlla and crawled onto the young girls lap who watched in excitement and wonder.

"Ellaria look, she likes me." She chirped as her baby sister grasped her hand with chubby little fingers, the toddler looked up at the older girl with wide eyes and a small smile gracing her heart shaped lips.

Ellaria chuckled as she raked her long fingers though her step daughters hair, twisting and turning the loose strands of hair she fashioned a braid that rested atop her head much like a crown.

"Yes, she seems to have taken a liking to you." The older woman said while shuffling to sit adjacent to the girls, she watched in amusement as her daughter started to play with the bracelets on Sarella's wrist while the elder girl simply sat there giggling at her half sister's actions.

Ellaria laughed in joy as she watched her daughter and one of the girls that she had come to see as a daughter interact, it was obvious to anyone that the two absolutely adored each other even though Myriah was not old enough to speak yet Saerlla would talk to her as if she could understand every single word.

Myriah turned from her sister to look at her mother, she stuck out a chubby arm and pointed at Ellaria, with a crooked grin she opened her mouth and uttered a word that Ellaria had never expected to hear.

"Mama!" she giggled ass she clapped her hands together in amusement.

Ellaria simply sat there in shock, her daughter had just said her first words which she had always imagined to be Dada or Papa as most babies do, but no her sweet, wonderful daughter had decided to make her voice known by addressing her mother. The thought brought tears, as she had never known her mother it only made this moment even more special.

"What did you say, my sweet?" she asked her daughter who only giggled in response and then reached up and touched Ellaria's cheek.

"Mama, mama, mama!" she chanted to her mother who had tears forming in her eyes, she reached down to her daughter's hand and took it within her own, it had always amazed her how small a child's hands were compared to that of an adults.

"Good girl Myriah, you talked." Sarella praised the toddled who had crawled out of her lap and made her way to her mother.

Weeping tears of joy she gathered both girls into a warm and motherly embrace, Myriah's head reasted in the crook of her mothers neck while Sarella wrapped her arms around Ellaria's shoulders. The older woman's arms encircled the two girls, she held them like this for a few moments, as she decided that this was what she wanted life to be like and it was perfect.

* * *

First steps ( 11 months- Rhaegar, Tyene, Obara,Oberyn)

Oberyn watched in joy as two of his daughter Obara and Tyene played in the water gardens with their brother Rhaegar while he watched from his spot on the pool side.

Tyene giggled as she watched Obara list Rhaegar onto her shoulder and walked around the shallow end of the pool, she chased after her big sister playing 'peaka boo' with their brother who watched them both in amusement .

"Bara, bara." he squealed in delight at his eldest sister who grinned in joy at his mispronunciation of her name.

"Yes, Rhaegar bara." she agreed hugging him tightly as he giggled at her.

Oberyn laughed at them, it was nice to see 14 year old Obara be so attentive when it came to her little brother, while Tyene simply adored him, to her any baby was simply a wondrous and delightful little creature.

"Look Rhaegar it's Papa, say papa." Tyene encouraged him while pointing to their father.

"Papa, papa." He clapped reaching for his father, his father chuckled at their antics and moved towards the pool side where Obara had placed Rhaegar who was on his hands and knees crawling over to him.

unexpectedly the toddled rose to his feet on shaky legs and took one uncertain step towards him.

Oberyn gasped in amazement and called for Ellaria who ran outside to join them with Sarella in tow. It slightly saddened him to know that Nymeria wouldn't be here to see this as she was visiting her uncle with Myriah for the week.

With his parents and sisters encouragement, Rhaegar took a second step toward him, then another and another. Oberyn held out his arms to the boy who stumbled into his arms giggling.

Oberyn laughed and spun the boy around in the air, Ellaria rushed to his side and praised their son planting a kiss on his cheek.

"You walked, im so proud of you my little cobra." She cooed

"Well done son." He praised as he tussled Rhaegar's hair.

yes this was a life he could defiantly get used to.


End file.
